A Day in the Life of a Cruiser by BJ

Well we've been at it for how long? The first thing you notice is how one day blends into the next and it's all good! Everyday and every night is like the best we ever get in a Southwestern Ontario summer. Lots of sun, balmy breeze and low humidity. I will give the edge to Ontario sunsets. Twilight doesn't linger long then there is the crystal clear sky with a myriad of stars and very little ambient light. The hills around the bay light up like a giant Christmas display and there is often music floating across the water from the Sandals resort or the Sunday night jazz from the Jambe de Bois. Each morning we wake up to find some new neighbours have arrived in the night.

Sunrises are quite similar to sunset in that they are not particularly noteworthy. It could be the lack of industrial pollution. Often they report on the Sahara sand dust in the air and that is probably responsible for what colour there is. Mornings are my quiet times for meditation and reflection which has been tremendous. Lorna seems to need more sleep than I do and it's worked out well for us for years! The morning also brings a quick assessment of the weather conditions with clouds often to the East which generally move off with the building wind. Today for example it was relatively quiet when I got up and now at 9:30 the winds are at about 15 knots gusting to 20 with a greyish cloud cover heading our way. So showers or a squall may be imminent. The bay has now picked up to a chop but there are no whitecaps. The fetch for the east wind is about 1km. A quick shower will roll by and the hatches better be closed in a hurry.

Now that the SSB radio is operational I can participate in a network of cruisers and get a comprehensive weather forecast and position reports for most of the Caribbean. Dennis on Tiger Lily II is a retired meteorologist from Toronto and runs the net. The net also provides a great resource of information and expertise. I think the most value comes from feeling connected to others. The net runs from 7:45 to around 8 on USB 44200.

After the SSB net we usually have our coffee and breakfast, listen to the local VHF net on channel 68, then plan our day. There is always something to do on the boat as well as the other functions of living such as cleaning, groceries and garbage. The boat stuff usually takes three times as long as expected and often has to be put off for lack of materials. The others go on but a little more frequently than at home due to limited capacity to store. The freezer is the size of a breadbox so not too much can be stored for many meals ahead.

The photos attached are just one of those things you get to do down here that you don't do at home. That's what we are here for, new experiences! You know when it's time (past time) to clean the bottom of the dinghy when fish are feeding off the grass!

Well that's pretty much how she goes here. Lunch and dinner are often interchanged. If we are on a hike or in town we'll stop for some local food that consists of a full plate of good stuff at about $6.00 CDN then have a light snack for dinner. Dinner usually happens shortly after sunset in the cockpit by the light of our hurricane lamp. And we wonder where the day went but, it was good! Then a couple of games of cribbage and off to bed. "It's only ten to eight, we can't go to bed yet" "Okay let's have a glass of red wine and chat".

Greetings from sunny St.Lucia!

Brian